What Mill Accessories to Start With?

[gene_weber]

Hi,

I'm new to the forum, and new to machining. I'm about to purchase a Precision Matthews PM-728VT which I will convert to CNC. I'm retiring in the next couple years, and I've started restoring a Triumph Spitfire. There is a list of items for that, and possibly for an airplane I'd like to make myself, so I decided to get a mill and make some metal chips. I've made lots of sawdust over the years. I live about 3 1/2 hours from Precision Matthews Pittsburgh location, so I'd like to order everything from them that makes sense, drive there and pick it all up at once. So the question is what does one need to get started? I've read a great thread on the Precision Matthews forum on how to do a CNC conversion of the PM-728VT, so I know what I need for that. I also read the "Apprentice or New to the trade machinist . What should I have to start?" sticky on this forum which was helpful. But what mill accessories do I need?

I'm assuming:

• An R8 collet set
• A clamping kit
• A milling vice. My gut reaction is to get a 6" vice rather than a 4" vice. Any downside to that? The PM 6" high precision vice is $250. I see that one can spend much much more than that. When will the difference between the $250 vice and say a $750+ vice become noticeable?
• End mills Um, yeah. So green I don't yet know when one uses a 2 flute or 4 flute, but I'll read up on this.
• Keyless Drill Chuck I'm thinking 1/8" - 5/8"
• Again, embarrassingly green, What does one need a Boring Head for? (Don't you bore holes with a drill?) Is this a regularly or rarely used item? If needed, is there a quality range to these also?
• What else?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Gene

 

[Jim F]

A 6" vise is too much for that machine, half or more will be hanging off the front of the table.

Other will disagree with , but that is ok.

 

[markba633csi]

Hi Gene! Your list has it pretty much covered- do you want to risk clobbering an expensive vise or would it be better to start with an economy one?
Watch some cnc fails on youtube to see what I mean I like swiveling vises, some don't. A lot depends on the parts/precision you need.
2 flute endmills have better chip clearance, useful in tight quarters- less likely to break the tips. 4 flute endmills give a better surface finish. Roughing mills are for heavy material removal. You can start with just a couple of each- no need to go crazy at first. I went on Ebay and got an estate sale lot of new and nearly new endmills that's the basis of my collection for much less $
Boring heads are for making large holes, larger than with your largest twist drill. Don't buy one unless you really have a need.
You need some measuring stuff- indicators etc. and also perhaps a flycutter or facemill
-Mark

 

[MrWhoopee]

Boring heads are also for making holes that are not standard drill sizes, or holes that are accurately sized, which a drill will only do when it doesn't matter.

 

[tweinke]

I have a PM-727M, so similar size to what you are interested in. In my opinion, a 4-inch is about right. The overhang in the Y axis is where a larger vise gets to be an issue. I've been considering running two 3-inch vises. Also don't go too big if you get a face mill, remember you aren't running a multi-thousand-pound machine. A keyless drill chuck of good quality would probably be nice, but a decent keyed chuck is sufficient. I think your choice of machines is good. Just my two cents take it for what is worth. Welcome to the never ending money draw of machining!

 

[mickri]

Only buy what you need for a given project. We love to help people spend money on stuff that they will never use. So if you have an unlimited budget buy everything under the sun. If you don't have an unlimited budget only buy what you need for the project at hand. In time you will accumulate a lot of stuff.

 

[wachuko]

Hi,

I'm new to the forum, and new to machining. I'm about to purchase a Precision Matthews PM-728VT which I will convert to CNC. I'm retiring in the next couple years, and I've started restoring a Triumph Spitfire. There is a list of items for that, and possibly for an airplane I'd like to make myself, so I decided to get a mill and make some metal chips. I've made lots of sawdust over the years. I live about 3 1/2 hours from Precision Matthews Pittsburgh location, so I'd like to order everything from them that makes sense, drive there and pick it all up at once. So the question is what does one need to get started? I've read a great thread on the Precision Matthews forum on how to do a CNC conversion of the PM-728VT, so I know what I need for that. I also read the "Apprentice or New to the trade machinist . What should I have to start?" sticky on this forum which was helpful. But what mill accessories do I need?

I'm assuming:

• An R8 collet set
• A clamping kit
• A milling vice. My gut reaction is to get a 6" vice rather than a 4" vice. Any downside to that? The PM 6" high precision vice is $250. I see that one can spend much much more than that. When will the difference between the $250 vice and say a $750+ vice become noticeable?
• End mills Um, yeah. So green I don't yet know when one uses a 2 flute or 4 flute, but I'll read up on this.
• Keyless Drill Chuck I'm thinking 1/8" - 5/8"
• Again, embarrassingly green, What does one need a Boring Head for? (Don't you bore holes with a drill?) Is this a regularly or rarely used item? If needed, is there a quality range to these also?
• What else?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Gene

Welcome to the forum!!!

As others have mentioned - go with a 4" vise. That is also what I have on my smaller milling machine. I would recommend, if budget allows, to get a Kurt 4" vise... I went with several inexpensive ones... now that I have a Kurt vise, I wish I had spent the cash on this first...

As to what to get first... besides what you already have on your list:

End mills - I started with this kit that comes with 4 and 2-flute in different sizes... shop around for pricing.
Keyless Drill chuck - go with PM's Ultra Precision chuck... it is a thing of beauty... I did not do so for my first one... now all I have in my machines are those. I like them a lot.

Set of parallels - you can start with just one set... but you will soon realize that you need a set of thins and a set of thicker parallels...
A matched set of 1-2-3 blocks
A center punch
Spotting drills in different sizes
A set of machinist squares
A scribe
Some small v-blocks
Dykem
6" and 12" calipers
Edge and center finders
A good shop vac
T-Slot Nuts and bolt clamping set...
Buy some stock/material to practice...

You will need a bandsaw to make your life so much easier... a 4 in. x 6 in. Horizontal/Vertical Metal Cutting Band Saw would do just fine to start... I went with a benchtop (smaller) unit... but once I have the space in the new place, I will be getting one of those...


Rather than continue to type what I remember and use often... I will look for the list from David in the morning.

Since you are going to PM - Order a lathe while you are at it... really... you need one... do not fight it.

I have not had the need to use a boring head, but I got one as well... will play with it some day...

Again, I am just a hobbyist and can't spend for something of much higher price...

@davidpbest has a great list to go by, you do not have to buy everything on that list or the same brands, but it is a great list to go by... I do not have the list handy, will look for it to share. Unless he chimes in before I can find it...

 

[MrWhoopee]

A keyless drill chuck of good quality would probably be nice, but a decent keyed chuck is sufficient. I think your choice of machines is good.

And when you finally get the nerve to try power tapping, you'll be glad you have a keyed chuck.

 

[Aukai]

My previous 9 x 32 mill had a 6", and a 4" vise, this is for your visual...

 

[erikmannie]

I use my boring heads (1-1/2”, 2” and 3”), fly cutters (one indexable & one that accepts a HSS tool bit), & 4-flute indexable shell mill a lot.

If you only buy one boring head, a 2” would work. I use brazed carbide (or solid carbide) boring bars, but I have never tried an indexable boring bar.

I strongly recommend a 6” vise & 6” parallels for you. I have an 8” vise, & I run out of room all the time.

Don’t forget a .0005” dial test indicator (I recommend a BestTest) to indicate your vise. Also, a .001” or .0005” dial indicator to trammel your head. I bought the .0005” Edge Technologies trammeling instrument for this; the dial indicators that came with it are probably from China, though.

You could also consider end mill holders. I have 3/4”, 7/8”, 1”, 1-1/4” and 1-1/2”, but there are few cutting tools to choose from to put in the 1-1/2”.

End mill holder:


Also, a stub mill arbor (for single angle cutters). I have a 1-1/4” arbor stub mill arbor with plans to buy a 1”.

Stub mill arbor:


Single angle cutter:


Also, consider a slitting saw arbor with slitting saws (match the arbor size to the center hole in the slitting saw(s) that you buy).

Slitting saw arbor:


Slitting saw:


Finally, a chamfer mill. Buy a 4-flute so you can cut steel if you need to.

Chamfer mill:


I decide what I am going to buy (so much Googling!), & then shop around (more Googling, usually with the part number(s) at this point) for the lowest price.

It is not uncommon for the parts I buy to be back ordered. I pay the vendor, & then wait patiently.